64 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



And the Puntmen say that near the post, 

 Where BeDJamin lived is seen a ghost, 

 A spect'ral fish with glaring eyes, 

 And fiendish look all sport destroys. 

 I will, &c. 



The Barbel is a strong game obstinate fish, and 

 affords good sport when hooked, they are met with in 

 all the deeps in the Thames, and in the Lea as far as 

 the Weir, below the Crown at Broxbourne, but 

 higher up the Lea than Ponder's End they are rarely 

 taken, it may be in consequence of their not being 

 fished for, or places baited, or proper swims made. 

 It is very certain that enormous large Barbel are in 

 the waters about Waltham Abbey and on to Brox- 

 bourne. I have heard, that in the year 1831, Messrs. 

 Wants caused to be turned in the Broxbourne 

 water a vast number of Barbel obtained from the 

 Thames, but I never heard that any had been taken. 



Barbel fishing commences about May in the Lea, 

 and June in the Thames, and continues till August 

 and September, they are a coarse, bony fish, their 

 roe acts as an emetic and cathartic. I have known 

 many persons made very ill by eating the roe of this 

 fish unwittingly, therefore, I would advise all Anglers 

 to caution their friends against eating it. Barbel 

 spawn about the end of April or beginning of May, 

 and are less affected by spawning than any other 

 fish. 



They frequent gravelly rising ground, and in the 



